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The largest city in North Carolina's Piedmont -- the region that lies between the Atlantic coast and the rugged mountains of the west -- booming Charlotte has become a center for the banking and transportation industries. Like Atlanta, the Queen City is thoroughly modern, but it still retains pockets of Old South charm.

Uptown Charlotte (actually encompassing the downtown area) offers a cross-section of the city's characteristic clash of old and new, with historic neighborhoods like the Fourth Ward in view of towering Bank of America Plaza and other surrounding skyscrapers. The area is easily explored on foot, but the city bus system (Charlotte Area Transit Service, or CATS) offers extensive local service for $1.20.

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is just west of Uptown, with taxis charging a flat $20 rate for travel into town. CATS is also available, picking up passengers at the east end of the terminal's ticketing level.

Journey to the Heart of NASCAR
Lowe's Motor Speedway in nearby Concord hosts three Nextel Cup races -- the Nextel All-Star Challenge (May), the Coca-Cola 600 (Memorial Day weekend) and the Bank of America 500 (October) -- and the vast majority of NASCAR teams are based in the vicinity of Charlotte. More than 200,000 racing fans converge on the area for the May races and the accompanying Speed Street festival which takes over Uptown Charlotte.

Pay Tribute to a Racing Legend
North Carolina native and seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt was tragically killed in an accident on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, but his legacy lives on north of Charlotte. A showroom in the corporate headquarters of Dale Earnhardt Inc. features a wide-ranging display, including photos, memorabilia, and the Intimidator's black No. 3 Chevrolet.

Experience ACC Hoops
Tobacco Road is synonymous with college basketball, and while Charlotte isn't home to any NCAA powerhouses, a road trip to the Research Triangle will put you in the midst of one of the greatest rivalries not just in hoops, but in all of sports: Duke-North Carolina. Wake Forest is even closer, located 80 miles away in Winston-Salem.

Catch the NBA's Newest Team
The Hornets called Charlotte home for 14 seasons, but owner George Shinn moved the team to New Orleans after several failed attempts to win subsidies for a new arena. Shortly thereafter, the city went ahead with a publicly funded state-of-the-art arena, paving the way for the expansion Bobcats to make their debut less than two years later.

See the Panthers in Action
An expansion team in 1995, the Carolina Panthers quickly won over their fans when they advanced to the NFC Championship in their second season. The 72,500-seat Bank of America Stadium, featuring natural grass and 137 luxury suites, was designed by the same brain trust that was behind Baltimore's Camden Yards.

Have an All-in-One Adventure
Scheduled to open in spring 2006, the U.S. National Whitewater Center has already earned a commitment from the USOC as an official Olympic training site. The facility will feature mountain bike and running trails, a climbing center and a unique recirculating whitewater river for rafting, canoeing and kayaking.

Discovery Place
301 N. Tryon St.
Charlotte, N.C. 28202
Discovery Place is one of the top science and tech museums in the Southeast. Get a scoop of liquid oxygen ice cream, made right before your eyes. Or enter the exhibit on static electricity -- guaranteed to make your hair stand on end.
http://www.discoveryplace.org/

Mint Museum of Art
2730 Randolph Rd.
Charlotte, N.C. 28207
North Carolina's first art museum is rich in American and pre-Columbian art. Don't miss its collection of American and European ceramics, and historic maps. Admission gains you entrance to the nearby Mint Museum of Craft & Design.
http://www.mintmuseum.org/

Wing Haven Gardens & Bird Sanctuary
248 Ridgewood Ave.
Charlotte, N.C. 28209
This three-acre walled garden in the middle of a residential neighborhood is home to formal gardens and woodland areas that provide home and cover for more than 125 species of birds. A series of paths take you through English gardens, herb and rose gardens, decorative fountains and more. 704-331-0664
http://www.winghavengardens.com/visitors_guide.htm

South End district
Bordered roughly by E. Morehead St., South Blvd., E. Tremont Ave. and S. Tryon St. Charlotte, N.C. 28202
This mills and factories of this mid-19th century manufacturing district have been beautifully restored. South End is now a vibrant colony of art galleries, shops and restaurants.
http://www.historicsouthend.com/index.asp

Historic Latta Plantation
5225 Sample Rd.
Huntersville, N.C. 28078
Once a thriving cotton plantation, its grounds have been transformed into a living history of the pre-Civil War South. See how the planters and their slaves lived, dressed, worked and ate.
http://www.lattaplantation.org/

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